Carton-blank-feeding mechanism



June 11, 1929. w, w. McCAlN 1,716,380

CARTON BLANK FEEDING MECHANISM mad April 18, 1928 s Sheets-Sheet 1 June' 11, 1929. w. W.'M =CAIN CARTON BLANK FEEDING MECHANISM Filed April 18, 1928 s Shgts-Sheet 2 Julie-11', 1929.

Filed April 18, 1928 s Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented June 11, 1929.

TT Fifi.

WES VT. MCCAIN, OF OAK PAR-K, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO OHERRY-BURRELL. CORPORATION, OF WILMINGTON, DELAVIARE, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

CARTON-BLANK-FEEDING MECHANISM.

Application fi1ed April 18, 1928. Serial No. 271,055.

The invention relates to mechanism for feeding carton blanks into proper operat ve position in a cartoning machine and, while it may be successfully applied to cartonlng machines in general, it is particularly adaptable for use in conjunction with a butter cartoning machine such as disclosed in my copending application Serial No. 255,004, filed February 17 1928.

The primary object of the invention is to provide feeding mechanism for cartonmg machines which will properly feed a blank carton from the bottom of a stack into the machine in regular sequence and then square the carton relative to the ramming mechanism of the cartoning machine.

Another object of the invention is to provide new and novel means for feeding the carton down through the machine and then centering it properly so that the carton creases will be in proper position relative to the ramming and folding mechanism.

A further object of the invention is to provide feeding mechanism which will operate at a high rate of speed and which is properly timed in relation to the other working parts of a cartoning machine so that the blank cartons will be fed properly and efi'iciently at regular intervals.-

A still further object is to provide feeding mechanism which is strong and durable in construction, efficient and positive in operation, and which can be applied to existing Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a cartoning machine embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view or.

1 line 33 of Fig. 2, parts being omitted for clearness.

a gear 10 fixed to the feed shaft 11. A plurality of feed rollers 12 are fixed to the shaft 11, Fig. 3, and are each provided with a plate 13 having teeth or pins lt. These pins engage the lowermost of a-plurality of carton blanks 15 which are supported between the arms 16 and the top caliper arms 17. A plate 13 fastened to each of the feed rollers by means of set screws 13 secure the plates 13 to the face 12' of the feed rollers, Fig.4.

The teeth or pins 14 on the plates 13 are substantially triangular in shape and have their bottom edges beveled at 14 as clearly shown in Fig. 4. By-constructing the teeth in this manner the sharp points 1 1 bite into the carton blanks and carry it to proper feeding positionrelative to the rollers 12. The bottom edges of the teeth are beveled or cut away to allow the carton blank to be released without being scratched or otherwise marred.

The arms 16 are adjustably supported by a lever 18 mounted on the stationaryshaft 19 in the sub-frame 6'. This lever is arranged between a pair of bottom caliper arms 20 and these arms are adjustably connected to the shaft 19 and extend to the top caliper arms 17, Figs. 1 and 2. The arms 17 are adjustably supported on a stationary shaft 21 in any suitable manner, such as by set screws 22. The lower end of the top caliper arms abut another stationary shaft 23 and adjustment thereof is made by the. screws 24 to regulate the distance between the top caliper arms 17 and the bottom caliper arms 20 in acordance with the thickness of the carton blanks which are being fed. End guides 25 are mounted on the shaft 21 and may be moved on this shaft to properly position the carton blanks 15 relative to the feed rollers 12.

A gear 26, Fig. 3, fixed to the shaft 11 meshes with a pinion 27 fast on the roller shaft 1 arms 29 have their ends 30 provided with set screws 31 to provide adjustment for the rubber surfaced tractor rollers 32 which normally bear against the feed rollers 12. A gear 33 fixed to the sh aft 34: mounted in the sub-frame 6 meshes with, the gear 9 to rotate the shaft 34 which has the mutilated rollers 35 fixed thereon. Another gear 36, Fig. 1 fixed to the shaft 3% meshes with and drivesa gear 37 fixed on a shaft 38 which is supported by a pair of angle levers 39 loosely mounted on the stationary shaft 23. Mutilated rollers 40, Fig. 2, are

fixed to the shaft 38 and engage the mutilated rollers 35 on the shaft 34. The arms 41 of the angle levers 39 are provided with set screws 42 at their outer ends and bear against a stationary shaft 43 fixed in the sub-frame 6 to pro vide for adjustment of the mutilated roller shaft 38. A spring 44 is connected to the outer end of each angle lever 39 and to the ends of the arms 29 and keeps the gear 27 in mesh with the gear 26 and also keeps the gear 37 in mesh with the gear 36, Fig. 2.

When a carton blank is engaged by the teeth 14, it is carried between the tractor rollers 32 and the feed rollers 12 and the feeding operation is continued until the blank is en gaged by the mutilated rollers and 40. Curved strippers 45 are arranged between the feed rollers and are fixed ,to the stationary shaft 43 to release the carton blank from the teeth 14 just before the carton becomes engaged b the mutilated rollers. The mutilated rol ers continue to feed the blanks downward through the machine between the plate 46, Fig. 2, and the guide fingers 47 until they come to rest on the plates 48, fixed to a part of the main frame 5, after they are released from the mutilated rollers 35 and 40, Fig. 2.

I An arm 49, Fig. 3, pivotally connected to the stationary shaft 21' at 49 is operated by a cam 50 fixed to the shaft 11. This arm has a roller 51 pivoted at the upper end thereof which is pressed against the cam 50 by a spring 52. This arrangement causes reciprocation of the arm 49, and it is properly timed in relation with the other parts of the feeding mechanism to register a carton blank 15 in position against the side plate 53 so that the carton will be in proper position relative to the carton machine rammlng mechanism 55.

My novel feeding mechanism permits a stack of carton blanks to be quickly fed in regular sequence and then be registered laterally to center them properly with the ramming mechanism. The feeding mechanism is very rapid in operation and positively feeds the blank carton to proper position relative to the other working parts of the machine without scratching or otherwise marring the car ton.

Changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof, and I reserve the right to make such changes as fairly fall within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a cartoning machine, a plurality of feed rollers, tractor rollers engaging the feed rollers, means for feeding a carton blank between said rollers, means adjacent said rollers for feeding the blank to proper position in the machine, and means for side registering the carton blank.

2. In a cartoning machme, a plurality of feed rollers, tractor rollers engaging the feed rollers, means for feeding a carton blank between said rollers, means adjacent said rollers for feeding the blank to proper'position in the machine, and a reciprocating arm to side register said carton blank.

3. In a cartoning machine, a plurality of feed rollers, tractor rollers engaging the feed rollers, means for feeding a carton blank between said rollers, means adjacent said rollers for feeding the blank to proper position in the machine, an arm to side register the carton blank, a cam, and a roller on said arm and contacting with said cam to operate said arm.

4. In a cartoning machine, a plurality of feed rollers, tractor rollers engaging the feed rollers, means for feeding a carton blank between said rollers, means adjacent said rollers for feeding the blank to proper position in the machine, an arm to side register the carton blank, a cam, a roller on said arm and contacting with said cam to operate said arm, and means for keeping said roller against said cam.

5. In a cartoning machine, a plurality of feed rollers, tractor'rollers contacting with said feed rollers, teeth fixed to said feed rollers for feeding a carton blank between the feed rollers and the tractor rollers, oppositely disposed mutilated rollers for continuing the feeding operation, means for supporting the blank as it is released by the mutilated roll ers, and means for side registering the carton blank.

6. In a cartoning machine, a plurality of feed rollers, tractor rollerscontacting with said feed rollers, teeth fixed to said feed rollers for feeding a carton blank between the feed rollers and the tractor rollers, oppositely disposed mutilated rollers for continuing the feeding operation, means forsupporting the blank as it is released by the mutilated rollers, and a reciprocating arm contacting with the side of said blank for registering the carton blank.

7. The combination with a cartoning machine, of feeding mechanism therefor comprising a shaft, means to rotate said shaft,

feed rollers fixed to said shaft, tractor rollers engaging said feed rollers, oppositely disposed mutilated rollers, means for rotating said mutilated rollers, teeth of said feed rollers for feeding a carton blank between said rollers and said tractor rollers, strippers for releasing the carton from said teeth as it is being engaged by the mutilated rollers, means for holding said carton blank when it is released from the mutilated rollers, and means operated by said first named shaft for side registering said carton.

8. The combination with a cartoning machine, of feeding mechanism therefor'comprising a shaft, means to rotate said shaft, feed rollers fixed to said shaft, tractor rollers engaging said feed rollers, oppositely dis posed mutilated rollers, means for rotating said mutilated rollers, teeth of said feed rollers for feeding a carton blank between said rollers and said tractor rollers, strippers for releasing the blank from said teeth as it is being engaged by the mutilated rollers, means for holding said carton blank When it is released from the mutilated rollers, a lever loose on said first named shaft, and a cam fixed to said first named shaft to reciprocate said lever for side registering said carton blank.

9. The combination With a cartoning machine, of feeding mechanism therefor comprising a shaft, means to rotate said shaft,

feed rollers fixed to said shaft, tractor rollers engaging said feed rollers, oppositely disposed mutilated rollers, means for rotating said mutilated rollers, teeth of said feed rollers for feeding a carton blank between said rollers and said tractor rollers, strippers for releasing the carton from said teeth as it is being engaged by the mutilated rollers, means for holding said carton blank When it is released from the mutilated rollers, a lever loosely mounted on said first named shaft, a roller on said lever, a cam fixed to said first named shaft, and a spring for urging said roller against said cam.

10. In feeding mechanism for cartoning machines, a plate, and teeth on said plate for engaging a carton, said teeth being substantially triangular in shape and having beveled edges on one side thereof.

WES W. MCCAIN. 

